Djela Augusta Šenoe - Kanarinčeva ljubovca
"Kanarinčeva ljubovca" (1880) is a story by Šeno that is often cited as his most successful, that is, as one of the most mature of his realist works in general.
From the present, the story retrospectively returns to the past of the noble Lenić Remetinski family through the stories of the last descendant, old woman Amalija. The novella talks about a frequent theme of 19th century prose, which is the decline of the nobility during the industrial revolution. This is a topic that is discussed in most works from realism, but also from naturalism, and this story has characteristics of both literary directions. His stylistic actions lean towards realism, but traces of naturalism are still visible. This is most visible in the physical and character traits of people and descriptions of interiors and exteriors.
The story is written in the first person, but from two perspectives. The first belongs to Senoa, as the main narrator. The second perspective is that of Amalia, who narrates her life in the first person. Shenoa is a city official who visits the building where the old woman lives to assess whether the building should be demolished. By chance, he enters the old woman's room and meets her.
The story belongs to a social theme, but it also contains elements of historical fiction, which elevates Croatian historical heritage. Namely, Šeno presents himself as a great lover of Croatian antiquities, which was the main motivation for writing the short story.
Two copies are available
